Thinking Summer? Think RPO!
Rochester, NY; May 26, 2006 – It’s almost summer, and that means music, and lots of it. Opportunities abound to see and hear the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra at a variety of locales around the greater Rochester area including a series of four concerts at the new Constellation Brands – Marvin Sands Performing Arts Center (CMAC) in Canandaigua, outdoor and indoor city and regional concerts, fireworks, and an Eastman Theatre concert with a sneak preview of an upcoming recording.
SPECIAL CONCERT
- Sunday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. at Eastman Theatre: With A Grand Gershwin Celebration, the audience will be given the unique opportunity to attend a special concert “previewing” the upcoming internationally-distributed recording with the RPO under Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik and Van Cliburn Award-winning pianist Jon Nakamatsu. The Gershwin favorites include Concerto in F, Rhapsody in Blue and Cuban Overture. Subsequent to this concert, the RPO and Nakamatsu will be recording the three pieces for a summer 2007 CD release on the harmonia mundi usa label. (The first recording of Nakamatsu with the RPO and Music Director Christopher Seaman in works by Rachmaninoff received wide critical acclaim.)
Tickets for this concert range from $10-$40, and go on sale June 5 at the RPO Box Office (585) 454-2100, online at www.rpo.org or at any Wegmans Video Department.
CONSTELLATION BRANDS – MARVIN SANDS PERFORMING ART CENTER (CMAC)
Excitement is building for the summer season at the new CMAC – located on Lincoln Hill Road in Canandaigua – where the RPO heads for its Constellation Brands Summer Series of four Saturday night concerts in July. The RPO’s summer residency is sponsored by Canandaigua National Bank.
- Saturday, July 8 at 7:30 p.m.: We open the season at the new shell with Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the same magnificent and uplifting piece that was performed at the 1982 opening of the former Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center. Christopher Seaman conducts this concert featuring the mixed forces of the RPO and the Finger Lakes Choral Festival (Adrian Horn, director) with soloists Jennifer Aylmer, soprano; Jami Tyzik, mezzo-soprano; Gordon Gietz, tenor; and Stephen Powell, baritone. The rest of the program includes Gabrieli’s celebrated Sonata Pian’ e Forte and Beethoven’s stately overture, Consecration of the House. Christopher Seaman’s appearance is made possible by The Louis S. & Molly B. Wolk Foundation.
- Saturday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m.: When “swing” was the rage, the time was The Fabulous 40s, and it was about having fun and letting go on the dance floor. To discover or “rediscover” those times, join Jeff Tyzik and the RPO with vocalists Daniel Narducci and Robin McKelle, and international lindy hop champions Kevin St. Laurent and Carla Heiney. Audiences of every age will enjoy the best of the 1940s from swing, Broadway, film, and American popular songs like Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, Begin the Beguine, String of Pearls, and St. Louis Blues. Badge Machine Products sponsors this concert.
- Saturday, July 22 at 7:30 p.m.: “Take it to the Limit” with an evening of Symphonic Rock: The Music of The Eagles. The RPO is joined by an amplified rock band featuring vocalist Randy Jackson of the group Zebra, with conductor Brent Havens leading some of The Eagles’ greatest hits: Life in the Fast Lane, Desperado, Lyin’ Eyes, and Hotel California. This concert is sponsored by Hylan Enterprises with additional support from Benefit Resource Inc.
- Saturday, July 29 at 7:30 p.m.: Always a crowd-pleaser, Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture with Fireworks and Cannons lights up the sky. This all-Tchaikovsky program includes the CMAC debut of the young RPO Concertmaster Juliana Athayde (The Caroline W. Gannett & Clayla Ward Chair) who has wowed audiences with her technique and style. She tackles Tchaikovsky’s dazzling Violin Concerto – the perfect complement to the cannons and fireworks! This concert is conducted by Michael Butterman, Principal Conductor for Education and Outreach (The Louise and Henry Epstein Family Chair), and is sponsored by Borg Imaging Group LLP.
There are a variety of ticketing options for CMAC concerts: Subscriptions to the four-concert series with a table for four people can be purchased for $560. Individual four-concert subscriptions are available for $80-150. A “Grass Pass” package is $48 for four vouchers, which may be used in any combination for any of the four concerts. All subscription prices are available now through July 7. Advanced single ticket prices range from $15-$50 and go on sale June 5; single tickets purchased at the gate range from $20-$55. CMAC tickets are available at the RPO Box Office (585) 454-2100, online at www.rpo.org, through Ticket Express, or through Ticketmaster (585) 232-1900. Discounts are available for senior citizens, students and children 12 and under. Please note: CMAC summer tickets are NOT available at Wegmans.
CMAC concerts take place rain or shine. Except for lawn seating, all other seats are covered. The grounds open at 6 p.m. and concertgoers are encouraged to bring their own blanket or lawn chair for relaxing on the hillside. Reusable plastic containers and vacuum-seal bottles are allowed. Please note that there are new ground rules in place for insurance and liability purposes: alcoholic beverages may not be brought into CMAC (beer and wine are available for purchase); glass, disposable plastic and metal containers, recording devices, grills, pets, fireworks and cameras are not permitted on the grounds.
ADDITIONAL TICKETED CONCERTS
- Friday, July 7 at 8:30 p.m.: The rolling hills of Geneseo set the stage for the RPO’s annual Summer Spectacular with Fireworks concert at SUNY Geneseo’s Saratoga Fields (rain location is Wadsworth Auditorium). Conducted by Michael Butterman, this concert of light pops and classical favorites provides an informal way to enjoy a summer evening, topped off by a spectacular fireworks display. Bring lawn chairs, blankets, and friends. Tickets are required: $10/5 advance, $12/6 at the gate. Children under 5 are free. Advance tickets are available from the RPO Box Office (585-454-2100) and at various locations in Geneseo. This concert is made possible by the family of Mrs. Hubert W. Chanler and the Gertrude L. Chanler RPO Fund at the Rochester Area Community Foundation.
- Thursday, July 27 at 8:30 p.m.: Temple B’rith Kodesh is the place to be for a concert highlighting traditional classical works conducted by Michael Butterman. General admission: $20/advance; $24/at the door; $15/student (with id); $50/family (2 adults plus any number of children under 16). For ticket information, call Temple B’rith Kodesh at (585) 244-7060.
FREE CONCERTS SPONSORED BY MONROE COUNTY
- Friday, July 21: The orchestra heads to Frontier Field with Michael Butterman for the audience-pleasing popular sound of 1960s, 70s, and 80s following the Rochester Red Wings game. The gates will re-open for the concert at 8:30 p.m., and a fireworks display follows the concert. For more information, call the Rochester Red Wings at (585) 423-9464.
- Sunday, July 30 at 2 p.m.: The RPO lends a musical hand to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Genesee Country Village & Museum in Mumford, N.Y. Reflecting the Museum’s unique setting, Butterman conducts Jeff Tyzik’s Pleasant Valley Suite — written to commemorate the museum’s 25th anniversary — and other pieces by American composers reflecting 19th century country life. The concert is free to the public. Museum admission to tour the Historic Village is $14 (with discounts for students and seniors). For more information, call (585) 538-6822.
ANNUAL RPO GOLF TOURNAMENT
- Monday, July 24, Cobblestone Creek Country Club: Tee off to benefit the RPO’s educational programs in the 13th annual RPO Golf Tournament. A variety of golf packages are available, including the opportunity to have an RPO musician join your foursome, reserve a tee sign or sponsor a contest. Registration and lunch begin at 11 a.m. followed by an afternoon of golf. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks begin at 6 p.m. with dinner, live jazz and awards following. Contests for both men and women include Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive and Best Team Score. Cobblestone Creek is located in Victor, N.Y. This tournament was established by the DiMino Family Foundation.
BRAVO! VAIL VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL
As part of its 16th residency season at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival, the RPO performs six concerts in Vail, Colorado Wednesday, June 28 through Tuesday, July 4. Christopher Seaman and Jeff Tyzik lead a variety of classical and popular programs throughout the seven-day residency. While the Orchestra is in Colorado, they will be sending back virtual “Postcards from Vail,” which will be posted on the RPO’s website, www.rpo.org. Readers can visit the online journal to learn more about trip preparations, concerts, the music, and other musings.
The RPO’s residency in Vail is made possible by the generous support of the Elaine P. and Richard U. Wilson Foundation. For detailed program and ticket information, or to receive festival mailings, please call the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival at (970) 827-5700 or visit their website at www.vailmusicfestival.org.
Now in its 83rd season, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s mission is to perform and present a broad range of quality music; attract, entertain and educate audiences with superior musical performances; maintain and build the Orchestra’s national reputation; and enhance the reputation of the Rochester community as a place in which to live, work, play, visit and learn.
RPO performances are made possible in part with grants from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency; the State of New York; the County of Monroe; the City of Rochester; and American Airlines, the official airline of the RPO.
| Files to Download: |
| Juliana Athayde photo |
| Jennifer Aylmer Photo |
| Gordon Gietz Photo |
| Brent Havens photo |
| Randy Jackson photo |
| Kevin and Carla photo |
| Robin McKelle photo |
| Jon Nakamatsu photo |
| Daniel Narducci Photo |
| Stephen Powell Photo |
